10% Happier Podcast Offers Resources for Coping During Crisis: The 10% Happier podcast is providing additional resources to help people cope with the crisis, including twice-weekly episodes, live daily meditation sessions, free meditations and talks, and a free six-month subscription to their app for healthcare workers.
The 10% Happier podcast, hosted by Dan Harris, is stepping up to help people cope with the current crisis by offering additional resources. These resources include twice-weekly episodes on various topics related to coping, a live daily meditation session with renowned teachers, free meditations and talks, and a free six-month subscription to their app for healthcare workers. The podcast aims to provide wisdom and practical tips during this moment of high anxiety. Listeners can engage by suggesting topics or guests on Twitter and tuning in to TPH Live every weekday at 3 PM Eastern/Noon Pacific.
Mindfulness practices offer opportunities for families during challenging times: Mindfulness-based strategies can help families regulate their nervous systems, respond compassionately, and model self-regulation during stressful times
This challenging time presents both difficulties and opportunities for families. Susan Kaiser Greenland, an expert in meditation and mindfulness practices, emphasizes that this situation calls for containing anxiety and offers an opportunity to put into practice mindfulness-based strategies for nervous system regulation. These methods can help families respond compassionately and wisely to nervous system activation, promoting openness, receptivity, and learning. Greenland also highlights the importance of self-regulation for adults, as they model behavior for their children and navigate their own emotions. Overall, her insights provide valuable guidance for families during these unprecedented times.
Practicing mindfulness during challenging times: Mindfulness practices, like focusing on sensory experiences or counting, can help manage anxiety and improve mental well-being by interrupting automatic reactions to negative emotions and shifting focus to the present moment.
During challenging times, such as the present moment, practicing mindfulness and awareness can help manage anxiety and improve mental well-being. This can be achieved by interrupting automatic reactions to negative emotions and shifting focus to a neutral or pleasant present moment experience. This simple process, called an anchor practice, can have a grounding effect and help broaden mental bandwidth to better cope with difficulties. Mindfulness practices, like focusing on sensory experiences or counting, can be effective ways to implement this strategy. Remember, awareness is the starting point, and it can change our relationship to things without getting rid of them. Just like one calm person in a stormy boat can spread calmness, practicing mindfulness can help spread peace and calmness in your family and daily life.
Staying present and engaging senses can help regulate nervous system: Engaging senses through deep breathing, calming images, or sensory props can help regulate nervous system during stress. Staying present and modeling calming behaviors can also help co-regulate children's nervous systems. Using calming slogans can serve as a circuit breaker in chaotic situations.
During times of stress or anxiety, focusing on the present moment and engaging with your senses can help regulate your nervous system. This can be done through simple activities like taking deep breaths, visualizing calming images, or using sensory props like snow globes. By staying present and modeling calming behaviors for children, you can also help co-regulate their nervous systems. In the midst of chaos, taking a moment to tune into your senses and use calming slogans can serve as a circuit breaker, allowing you to respond with more calm and clarity. Remember, "right now I'm okay," and take things one moment at a time.
Recognizing the mind-body connection through mindfulness: Practicing mindfulness helps reduce anxiety by focusing on physical sensations and relaxing the body, with both formal meditation and brief moments throughout the day beneficial.
Practicing mindfulness involves recognizing the connection between mind and body. When our minds are tense, our bodies often hold tension as well. By shifting our focus to the physical sensations in our body and relaxing those areas, we can help our minds relax as well. Both formal meditation practices and brief moments of mindfulness throughout the day are important for maintaining mental clarity and reducing anxiety. Creating routines and setting aside dedicated time for both formal meditation and physical activity can help us integrate these practices into our daily lives and improve overall well-being.
Making Mindfulness a Part of Daily Life: Use bedtime for mindfulness practice, use relatable language when teaching kids, create a positive environment, join a group or class, be patient and persistent.
Formal meditation practice is important, but it's also crucial to find practical ways to incorporate mindfulness into our daily lives, even if we don't have the time or resources for extended retreats. One simple yet effective way to do this is to use bedtime as an opportunity for mindfulness practice, whether it's lying in bed with young children or practicing relaxation techniques before going to sleep. Another key point is that when it comes to teaching mindfulness to kids, it's essential to use language that resonates with them and to make it relatable to their experiences. Instead of using the term "mindfulness" all the time, try describing the practice in simple, everyday terms. For instance, instead of saying "let's practice mindfulness," you could say "let's take a few deep breaths to help us feel calm." Ultimately, the key to getting kids interested in mindfulness is to help them understand that it works and to create a positive, non-judgmental environment where they feel comfortable exploring these practices. If possible, consider joining a group or class where kids can learn from one another and build a sense of community around mindfulness practice. And if that's not an option, be patient and persistent, and keep looking for ways to make mindfulness practice fun and engaging for your child.
Mindfulness practices with children: Incorporating mindfulness activities like square breathing, guided meditations, star meditation, and choosing posture can help children regulate emotions and reduce stress.
Practicing mindfulness and relaxation techniques with children, even if not labeled as such, can be effective in helping them regulate their emotions and nervous systems. This can be done through simple activities like square breathing, guided meditations, or even rocking a stuffed animal on the tummy with breath. The star meditation technique involves asking children to imagine a special star and its light focusing on their head, then gradually bringing that attention down their body. It's important to give children choice in their posture and whether their eyes are open or closed during these practices. By making these practices a regular part of family life, children can learn valuable skills for managing their emotions and reducing stress.
Practicing mindfulness with simple techniques reduces stress and improves focus: Mindfulness practices like focusing on a star or using a weighted object can reduce stress and improve focus. Parents can practice with their children for added benefits, or encourage use of apps or online group meditations.
Practicing mindfulness, even with simple techniques like focusing on the light of a star while moving your attention to different parts of your body, or using a weighted object like a stuffed animal for mindful breathing, can help reduce stress and improve focus. For parents, it's best to practice with their children for the added benefit of the relational component, but if that's not possible, encouraging the use of mindfulness apps or setting up group meditations online can be effective alternatives. And don't forget, incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine can be as easy as shopping at Whole Foods Market for healthy foods and supplies. Easter is a perfect time to start this journey towards a more mindful and relaxed lifestyle.
Whole Foods for special occasions and Audible for entertainment: Whole Foods caters to memorable events with quality options, while Audible offers a vast selection of audio entertainment, especially for crime mystery and thriller fans. When dealing with teenagers, it's essential to understand their behavior as a sign of being overwhelmed instead of defiance and respond with compassion.
During special occasions like brunch, Whole Foods provides high-quality options for hosting a memorable event. From superior eggs to catered favorites, they have you covered. Meanwhile, Audible offers an extensive selection of audio entertainment, particularly in the crime mystery and thriller genres, allowing listeners to discover new titles and enjoy their favorite authors. When it comes to engaging teenagers in conversations, especially around sensitive topics like meditation, it's crucial to recognize their behavior as a sign of being overwhelmed rather than defiance. By shifting our perspective and responding with compassion, we can build stronger relationships with them.
Practice meditation yourself first, embody it for teens: To teach meditation to teenagers, practice it yourself, apologize for mistakes, and use acceptance techniques like 'this is what it is' and 'I'm okay' for overwhelmed youth. Incorporate movement for restless kids.
When working with teenagers on meditation, it's crucial to practice ourselves first and embody the practices before trying to teach them. Imperfection is natural, and wisdom comes from being present. When we make mistakes, apologize and repair relationships. For overwhelmed teenagers, practices like "this is what it is right now" and "I'm okay right now" can help accept the situation and broaden perspective. Mindfulness practices aren't solely sedentary; incorporating movement can help regulate restless kids, including those with ADHD. Remember, acceptance isn't resignation, but a way to calm down and take effective action.
Toggling between movement and stillness for stress relief: Effective parenting during stress involves balancing movement and stillness for kids and letting go of power struggles in relationships to promote harmony and grounding
Effective parenting during stressful times involves a balance of movement and stillness for children and letting go of power struggles in relationships with partners. Peter Levine's concept of trauma-proofing kids suggests that toggling between these two states can help release nervous energy and promote grounding. This principle applies to all of us as anxiety and upregulation narrow our mental focus. In meditation practice, the "law of reverse effect" or "drop the rope" principle teaches that trying too hard to empty the mind or make strong emotions workable can be counterproductive. Instead, relaxation and letting go can lead to greater effectiveness. Applying this concept to relationships can help prevent unnecessary power struggles and promote harmony in the household.
Navigating power struggles with mindfulness and meditation: Practicing mindfulness and meditation can help us avoid unnecessary conflicts and create a more peaceful environment in personal relationships. Letting go, or 'dropping the rope', involves setting healthy boundaries and containing anxiety, not giving in or being trampled.
Practicing mindfulness and meditation can help us navigate power struggles and difficult conversations in our personal relationships, particularly with family members. By letting go, or "dropping the rope," we can avoid unnecessary conflicts and create a more peaceful and compassionate environment. This concept is similar to the practice of meditation, where letting go of resistance and finding our center helps us float effortlessly. However, it's important to remember that dropping the rope doesn't mean giving in or being trampled. Instead, it's about setting healthy boundaries and containing anxiety. Additionally, self-compassion is crucial in managing the potential overload of daily life and maintaining healthy relationships. Wisdom does not come from being perfect, but rather from being present and compassionate with ourselves and others.
Recognize and accept experiences: Accepting experiences instead of fighting them allows us to tap into inner strengths and be our best selves.
Self-care is essential during challenging times, and it's important to integrate mindfulness practices into our daily routines. Don't fight your experiences or view tendencies as weaknesses, but rather recognize them as strengths and redirect them to be useful in the present moment. Create a manageable routine for yourself and your family, and make sure to get outside for light and fresh air. Remember to have compassion for yourself and others, and circle back when you need to repair. In essence, acknowledging and accepting our experiences, rather than beating ourselves up, is the first step to tapping into our inner strengths and being our best selves.
Welcome inner demons with open arms: Practicing mindfulness and meditation helps manage inner demons with friendliness and curiosity, treating them as guests for personal and collective benefit.
Practicing mindfulness and meditation, especially during challenging times like these, can help us manage our inner demons with friendliness and curiosity instead of fighting them. By giving these negative emotions or tendencies names and treating them as guests, we can disarm them and make a positive difference in our lives and the lives of those around us. Additionally, the practice of meditation is not just for personal benefit, but also for the benefit of others. By staying home and practicing mindfulness, we can contribute to the greater good by flattening the curve and protecting those who are more vulnerable. So, the next time you're feeling anxious or overwhelmed, remember to welcome your inner demons with open arms and extend the same kindness and compassion to yourself and others.
Exploring Mindfulness with Susan Kaiser Greenland and Reality TV's 'The Swan': Mindfulness expert Susan Kaiser Greenland shares resources for practicing mindfulness, while the podcast The Big Flop discusses the failed reality TV show 'The Swan'.
Susan Kaiser Greenland, a mindfulness expert, has written a book called "Mindful Games" which comes with activity cards. She also created a series of guided meditations called "Mindful Parent, Mindful Child" with 30 meditations available through Sounds True. Listeners can catch 10% Happier Live every weekday at 3 Eastern/Pacific on 10% Happier's website. The Big Flop podcast, hosted by Misha Brown on Wondery, discusses failed pop culture phenomena, with a recent episode covering the reality TV show "The Swan," where women underwent physical transformations and were ranked by judges, creating a viewing nightmare. Always remember to check out 10% Happier's sponsors, such as the Delta SkyMiles Business Amex card, and fill out a survey at Wondery.com-slash-survey. The early 2000s saw the rise of questionable reality TV shows like Kid Nation and The Swan.
Parenting in a Pandemic | Susan Kaiser Greenland
Recent Episodes from Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris
I Just Did A 10-Day Silent Meditation Retreat With Joseph Goldstein. Here’s What I Learned
Meditation retreats are the object of much intrigue and even suspicion. So today, we’re going to take you inside a 10-day silent meditation retreat that Dan recently did with his teacher, Joseph Goldstein. You’ll also hear from Senior Producer, Marissa Schneiderman, who was fresh off a retreat of her own, with meditation teachers Alexis Santos and Andrea Fella.
In this episode we talk about:
- The ups and downs of retreats
- Some famous Buddhist listicles, including the five hindrances
- The importance of repetition
- We’ll hear snippets of Joseph answering Dan’s questions
- We find out what “cowboy dharma” is
- What it feels like to wear shit colored glasses
- How to stop getting caught in a mind trap
- And lastly, we listen to voicemails and answer audience questions!
Related Episodes:
#377. A More Relaxed Way to Meditate | Alexis Santos
#327 Uprooting Your Delusions | Andrea Fella
How to Take Risks (an Experimental Episode) | Marissa Schneiderman
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Modern Life Numbs You. Here’s The Neuroscience Of Waking Up | Tali Sharot
It’s so easy, especially these days, to numb out. To get bored. To move through life on autopilot. There is even a scientific term for this: habituation.
Today we’re talking to a researcher who co-authored a new book about the neuroscience of habit and how to wake up again. To make things exciting. Or as she says, to “re-sparkle”.
Tali Sharot is a professor of cognitive neuroscience at University College London and MIT. She’s written several books including The Optimism Bias and The Influential Mind. Her latest, co-written with Cass Sunstein, is called Look Again: The Power of Noticing What Was Always There.
In this episode we talk about:
- What habituation is and what’s going on in the brain when it happens
- How it negatively impacts the joy we feel in life – and inversely – how it can make us stop noticing the bad stuff
- Key strategies for disrupting habituation and introducing change and variety into your life
- The interesting relationship between creativity and people who habituate slowly
- How habituation impacts our relationships
- Why it’s important to break up the good experiences, but swallow the bad whole.
- How to wake up from a “technologically induced coma”
- How people emotionally habituate to dishonesty and lying
- And lastly, we talk about the dangers of habituating to a slow, incremental rise in tyranny – and how dis-habituation entrepreneurs can help
Related Episodes:
#345 How to Change Your Habits | Katy Milkman
Making and Breaking Habits, Sanely | Kelly McGonigal
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A Reformed Skeptic Leads A Loving-Kindness Meditation | A Meditation Party Retreat Bonus with Dan Harris
Recorded live at the Omega Institute, Dan leads us through a loving-kindness meditation, followed by discussion with retreat co-leaders Jeff Warren and Sebene Selassie.
For more information on the next upcoming Meditation Party retreat, including scholarships available for BIPOC participants, visit Omega Institute.
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How to Avoid the Toilet Vortex of Anxiety | Sebene Selassie and Jeff Warren
We also talk about: whether it is possible to be a failed meditator; grief versus mourning; and meditation tips for parents.
Sebene Selassie is a writer, teacher, and speaker who leads meditation, creativity, and nature-based practices for personal & collective liberation. Using ancient wisdom and modern science mixed with her own relational and relatable style, Sebene helps spiritually curious people explore the profound and sacred truth of belonging. She is trained as a meditation teacher, an integral coach, a practitioner of Indigenous Focusing Oriented Therapy for Complex Trauma (IFOT), and is a licensed hiking guide in New York State. She has taught classes, workshops and retreats online and in person for almost fifteen years. Sebene is a devoted student of mystic traditions, including astrology, and writes the popular newsletter Ancestors to Elements. Her first book, You Belong: A Call for Connection, is published by HarperOne.
Jeff Warren is a meditation instructor and writer, known for his dynamic and accessible style of teaching. He is the co-author of The New York Times best-selling Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics, founder of the nonprofit Consciousness Explorers Club, and co-host of the Mind Bod Adventure Pod. Jeff's Do Nothing Project streams for free every Sunday night on YouTube; his guided meditations reach millions of people through the Ten Percent Happier and Calm apps, as well as through his Substack, Home Base.
Jeff’s mission is to empower people to care for their mental health, through the realistic, intelligent and sometimes irreverent exploration of meditation and personal growth practices. As someone with both ADHD and bipolar, he is big on destigmatizing mental health issues, and championing a neurodiverse outlook on life and practice.
Tascha Schumann is a Buddhist Lama, writer, visual artist, co-host of The Mind Bod Adventure Pod, and Juno-nominated recording artist whose work has been streamed many millions of times around the world.
Related Episodes:
How to Stay Calm No Matter What’s Happening | Sebene Selassie and Jeff Warren
Meditation Party: The “Sh*t Is Fertilizer” Edition | Sebene Selassie & Jeff Warren
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I Just Went Through A Career Earthquake. Here’s What I Learned About Anger, Insomnia, And Bouncing Back | Dan Harris
In which Dan gets candid about a major life struggle, the practical takeaways, and a big new project.
In this episode:
- Dan shares news about what’s next for him
- His strategies and lessons from a big career change including how to deal with conflict, anger and insomnia
- What he's learned about the power of self-compassion, the value of failure and how to gain perspective when you need it most
If you'd like to be a member of Dan's new community but a subscription isn't affordable for you, write to free@danharris.com, and we'll hook you up, no questions asked.
Related Episodes:
Your Sleep Questions, Answered | Donn Posner
How To Sleep Better | Diane Macedo
Kryptonite for the Inner Critic | Kristin Neff
Check out all the offerings at DanHarris.com
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- Download the Happier app today: https://my.happierapp.com/link/download
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How And Why To Avoid The Siren Call Of Cynicism | Dr. Jamil Zaki
This Stanford psychologist has evidence that being a cynic is bad for your health, and offers a non-corny alternative.
Dr. Jamil Zaki is a professor of psychology at Stanford University and the director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab. He’s the author of The War for Kindness: Building Empathy in a Fractured World, and his new book is called Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness.
In this episode we talk about:
- What cynicism is, and why it’s so appealing
- His own history as a “recovering cynic,”
- How to know if you yourself are a cynic
- A step-by-step guide to start developing the “hopeful skeptic” mindset
- How to get better at disagreeing with other people, including some rules of engagement
- And how to encourage kids not to become cynical
Related Episodes:
How (and Why) to Hack Your Empathy | Jamil Zaki
Reversing the Golden Rule | Jamil Zaki
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- Download the Ten Percent Happier app today: https://10percenthappier.app.link/install
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Exploring What It Means To “Pay Attention” | A Meditation Party Retreat Bonus With Jeff Warren
Recorded live at the Omega Institute, Jeff guides us through two different approaches to being attentive to our experience — followed by a discussion with Dan and Sebene.
About Jeff Warren:
Jeff makes meditation and practice accessible to diverse audiences in order to help people live more fulfilled and connected lives. He’s taught meditation to suspicious journalists, US Army cadets, burned-out caregivers, Arizona cops, formerly-incarcerated youth, virtuoso popstars, distractible teens, and every other conceivable demographic of freethinker, including squirmy six-year old kids. He tries to do this in a way that’s rigorous and clear and adventurous. You can find out more about him at jeffwarren.org.
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A Buddhist Recipe for Handling Turmoil | Kaira Jewel Lingo
We all know that change is inevitable and impermanence is non-negotiable. But somehow it can feel surprising, maybe even wrong, when we personally hit turbulence. The Buddha had a lot to say about this, and so does our guest.
Kaira Jewel Lingo is a Dharma teacher who has a lifelong interest in blending spirituality and meditation with social justice. Having grown up in an ecumenical Christian community where families practiced a new kind of monasticism and worked with the poor, at the age of twenty-five she entered a Buddhist monastery in the Plum Village tradition and spent fifteen years living as a nun under the guidance of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. She received Lamp Transmission from Thich Nhat Hanh and became a Zen teacher in 2007, and is also a teacher in the Vipassana Insight lineage through Spirit Rock Meditation Center. Today she sees her work as a continuation of the Engaged Buddhism developed by Thich Nhat Hanh as well as the work of her parents, inspired by their stories and her dad’s work with Martin Luther King Jr. on desegregating the South.
In addition to writing We Were Made for These Times: Skilfully Moving through Change, Loss and Disruption, she is also the editor of Thich Nhat Hanh’s Planting Seeds: Practicing Mindfulness with Children. Now based in New York, she teaches and leads retreats internationally, provides spiritual mentoring, and interweaves art, play, nature, racial and earth justice, and embodied mindfulness practice in her teaching. She especially feels called to share the Dharma with Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, as well as activists, educators, youth, artists, and families. Her newest book, co-written with Marisela B. Gomez and Valerie Brown, is Healing Our Way Home: Black Buddhist Teachings on Ancestors, Joy, and Liberation.
In this episode we talk about:
- waking up to what’s happening right now
- trusting the unknown (easier said than done)
- A Buddhist list called the five remembrances
- how gratitude helps us in times of disruption
- And accepting what is (and why this is different from resignation or passivity)
Please note: There are brief mentions of domestic violence, abuse, the suffering of refugees, and war in this episode.
Related Episodes:
3 Buddhist Strategies for When the News is Overwhelming | Kaira Jewel Lingo
How to Keep Your Relationships On the Rails | Kaira Jewel Lingo
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The Science of Handling Uncertainty | Maya Shankar
Cognitive scientist Maya Shankar talks about how to get comfortable with uncertainty in an ever-changing world.
It seems like a design flaw in our species that we live in a world of constant change yet most of us are not comfortable with uncertainty.
In this episode, we talk to Maya Shankar about how to get better at dealing with change and to stop seeking what scientists call “cognitive closure.”
Shankar is a former Senior Advisor in the Obama White House, where she founded and served as Chair of the White House Behavioral Science Team. She also served as the first Behavioral Science Advisor to the United Nations, and is currently a Senior Director of Behavioral Economics at Google. She is the host of the Pushkin Industries podcast A Slight Change of Plans, which was named Best Show of the Year in 2021 by Apple.
In this episode we talk about:
- Why humans are so uncomfortable with uncertainty and change
- What a behavioral scientist actually does in the world
- Why even the host of a podcast about change isn’t immune to the uncertainties of life
- The benefits of cultivating a more malleable sense of self
- Why humans are such bad forecasters
- The importance of auditing yourself when you’re undergoing a big change
- How to take advantage of big reset moments
- The concept of cognitive closure and why encouraging an open mind can make us more resilient
Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/maya-shankar-466
Where to find Maya Shankar online:
Website: mayashankar.com
Social Media:
Books Mentioned:
- The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language
- Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness
- Stumbling on Happiness
Additional Resources:
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Stop Turning The Miraculous Into The Mundane | Bonus Meditation with Pascal Auclair
This is the first time you’ve ever been here, now. Pascal invites you to discover the vivid and mysterious experience of this new moment.
About Pascal Auclair:
Pascal Auclair has been immersed in Buddhist practice and study since 1997, sitting retreats in Asia and America with revered monastics and lay teachers. He has been mentored by Joseph Goldstein and Jack Kornfield at the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Massachusetts and Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California, where he is now enjoying teaching retreats. Pascal teaches in North America and in Europe. He is a co-founder of True North Insight and one of TNI’s Guiding Teachers.
To find this meditation in the Ten Percent Happier app, you can search for “Rediscover the Familiar.”
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Related Episodes
Feeling This Moment To The Fullest
Adult Talk: How to Get Your Kids to Meditate – Emily Fletcher with Dave Asprey : 817
When your kids are calmer and learning how to work with their thoughts and emotions, your quality of life as a parent goes way up. In this episode of Bulletproof Radio, Ziva meditation creator Emily Fletcher joins me to talk about helping kids learn to meditate and her new zivaKIDS program that gives kids new superpowers.
*Catch episode guest Emily Fletcher at the Virtual Biohacking Conference on May 8! Details and discounts below.*
For over a decade Emily has been teaching her own ZIVA meditation technique. She’s reached more than 40,000 students so far, including Oscar, Grammy, Emmy and Tony award winners, Navy SEALS, NBA players, entrepreneurs and anyone looking to make their life better. Busy parents, too.
“I wanted to take the pressure off of parents,” Emily says. “Especially right now, parents are being asked to do an extraordinary amount of things: homeschool their kids, learn to become science teachers, deal with the emotional and psychological ramifications of isolation,” she says. “The last thing I wanted parents to do was have to become a meditation salesperson or a meditation police officer.”
She’s worked with Sesame Street, leading child psychologists and professors from Harvard, to create zivaKIDS. Emily knows that getting your kid to meditate is no easy feat, so we talk a lot about how to encourage them to take that next step in an open, honest and age-appropriate way. She has a practice for 4-to 8-year-olds and 9-to 14-year-olds. She also offers training for parents or other adults in the child’s life on how to be a good sidekick.
The Ziva technique de-excites the nervous system to induce deep rest, so much so that it can heal stresses from both the present and the past. These stresses apply to humans of all ages, and that’s why Emily is so passionate about her practice.
“If you learn these tools at [a young] age, your resilience and your ability to metabolize high demand situations for the rest of your life will be better,” she says.
She says meditation is not a magic pill to bury your emotions. When you’re sad or angry you can’t fix it by just counting your breaths, but instead meditation can teach us how to change our state when we’re ready.
Emily’s view of meditation, for both kids and adults, is practical and flexible. On this episode you’ll learn how your practice (and your kids’!) will ebb and flow, but how you will always carry the power of the practice within you and have the tools you need to feel safe with your body, your emotions and yourself.
Enjoy! And get more resources at Dave.Asprey/podcasts.
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Bringing Mindfulness into your Home and Classroom
Jennie Abbot is the Founder and Director of Harmony Kids Yoga. She is a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) and Registered Children's Yoga Teacher (CYA-CYT) with the Canadian Yoga Alliance. Jennie is also a Color Me Yoga Children's Yoga Teacher Graduate, and a Rainbow Kids Yoga Certified Instructor. She has more than 10 years' experience as a children's dance teacher. She has also completed Yoga for the Special Needs Child and Safe Anatomy for Children courses through Marsha Danzig, founder of Color Me Yoga. Jennie has taken Mindfulness Training through Dr. Dan Siegel, Author and Executive Director of the Mindsight Institute. Jennie's life passion is sharing the joy of Yoga with Children!
Jennie started her yoga teacher training in 2010 her daughter began experiencing anxiety and challenges at school. Jennie knew that the practice of yoga, mindfulness and centering were tools she could empower her child and so using her background as a children’s dance instructor and the tools she was learning as a yoga instructor, created a yoga plan for her daughter that provided immediate and immeasurable results.
Harmony Kids Yoga brought together a passion for working with children, and a passion for bringing yoga together in a way that would benefit kids of all physical and mental capacities.
Harmony Kids Yoga was born from this desire, and today, has grown into a company that offers studio classes, in-school programs for kids at the preschool and elementary school levels, as well as teacher’s workshops for educators who want to bring the practice of yoga and mindfulness into the classroom on a daily basis.
Mindful Parenting - Mindfulness for the Parent & Child
Adrienne Marie joins Justin for the first installment of A Parent's Perspective. From being a single mother and now a foster parent, to her own upbringing, Adrienne opens up about her story. She also dives into what mindful parenting means to her and shares some techniques for being present with her kids, while still being on her own journey of life.
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EP24: Demystifying Meditation with Sarah McLean
Summary
In today’s episode, with the help of Sarah McLean, the owner of the McLean Meditation Institute, my personal teacher, and a woman with an unusual and exciting background, we will demystify meditation. There are so many brands and types of meditation out there; it can be downright confusing. The important thing is to understand a bit, not make it too hard, and, most importantly, do not delay your practice! Without practice, you are missing all the amazing benefits of meditation.
Sarah’s joining us from Santa Barbara, California, and will tell you her journey to demystify meditation. She will tell you tales of her time in the Army, in an ashram in India, and travels on a nine-month mountain bike trek through faraway lands. She will touch on many experiences from Transcendental Meditation, working with Deepak Chopra to ah-ha moments on a rooftop in Georgetown, DC. She did all the work, and we all benefit from her discoveries.
On last week’s show, we talked about three things to make your meditation a slam dunk: desire, focus, and a nonjudgmental attitude (which I learned long ago from Sarah herself.) This episode is perfect timing because Sarah will take those three things and go deeper as she unravels the mysteries of meditation.
My suggestion is to listen intently but listen gently, like the awareness of breath in meditation. You know you are breathing but get lost in the beauty of its simplicity. Do not control or change; just follow and enjoy.
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Podcast
Hey there, Alexa Z here! I am so excited and a little nervous because I have Sarah McLean, my meditation teacher, on the line. She is kind enough to take time out of her busy schedule to help me, help you demystify meditation, specifically the different types/brands of meditation.
I found Sarah after many years of meditating. I started meditating when I was 17 years old because I had terrible panic attacks. Meditation was a pill for me. I wish I could go back and start again; I would because now I know all the opportunities meditation has provided me, and I would have had a more consistent practice from the start.
Alexa: I want to welcome Sarah! Again, I am a little nervous and excited. This will be a fun back and forth conversation. I am also a bit jealous because I know you are in Santa Barbara, California, and the weather is a lot nicer than the rain, drizzle, and cold here in Annapolis, Maryland.
Sarah: Well, it is a bit like heaven on earth, sorry to make you jealous. Maybe we can practice Mudita, which is sympathetic joy, I hope you can feel happy for me, that I get to live in Santa Barbara after trying to convince my husband to move here for 17 years. It's great to be here, and Maryland is not too shabby.
Alexa: No, it isn't, and knowing that I can visit and take more classes at your new meditation center with you in Santa Barbara, makes me super happy. So let's, get right into it. Let's demystify meditation. The reason why this came to mind is that my students, clients, and even strangers come to me and say they have been studying meditation but have not started their practice. Typically, they say they are waiting for a particular time in there life to begin meditating or that they need to continue to learn about meditation before starting a practice. Sarah, what do you think about all of this. Why is it so confusing?
Sarah: There are so many different types, categories of meditation
- Uses
- Formal and informal
- Religious, historical origin
- Different names in other languages
- Brand new/Brand names
I'll share a little bit about my story and how I got into meditation. More importantly, how I realized I did not know anything about meditation.
Alexa: Oh, that's perfect!
Sarah: When I was younger, I was in the military. I wanted to be a spy, but that didn't work out. I wanted to understand the mysteries of life. I did not become a spy; instead, I became a behavioral specialist; that's when I started to learn the mysteries of the mind. I worked with Soldiers who suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD). Back then, we used medication versus meditation. Luckily for me, I was introduced to a body awareness practice. I was sitting outside of a psychiatric hospital, where, unfortunately, that's where many Soldiers who were really suffering would end up. Our whole platoon was sitting out on the lawn when one of the male nurses introduced me to a body scan. He had us all laydown, and he guided us from our head to our toes, allowing us to relax. It was only about 10 minutes. In the end, I realized that I worked with very stressed Soldiers, and I didn't even realize the amount of stress I was carrying. That moment planted a seed in me. After I got out of the Army, I looked into contemplative practices. I spent a lot of time exploring world traditions, looking for the secrets of life. I was on my mountain bike for about nine months and bicycled half-way around the world. I kept looking for the answers. I found it when I was sitting in my room in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. I was on the top of a three-story of a brownstone, learning to meditate using a silent mantra practice, through Transcendental Meditation (TM). Again, there was a contrast on how I felt before I learned, and after I silently repeated a mantra that I had no idea what it meant. It was another "ah-ha" moment.
A few months after that, I moved to a TM community. I answered the phones and discussed mind, body, health. I was working with Deepak Chopra, who, at the time, no one was familiar with. People were looking for alternative practices and alternative healing. Many people would seek our help because of health reasons such as chemotherapy didn't work, diagnosed with Parkinson's, or depressed. I would ask all who called, "do you meditate?" They would answer with, yes, while I am watching TV, driving to work, or in the shower. I would have to convince them all to learn to meditate because meditation was required to be in the TM community. In 1990, meditation was not a "buzz word." No one talked about mindfulness. People would come to the community, and I would teach them about meditation. Unfortunately, at the time, I thought there was only one way to meditate. Though I had that great experience with the body scan, I was still "drinking the kool-aid" on the brand name of TM. So even when someone told me they were Upasana, insight, or mindfulness, or a different type of meditation, I wouldn't give it much credit.
Alexa: I have known you for a long time, and I have heard all your stories, but it is so fun to listen to it in order; it's starting to make so much sense to me. I have a lot of military people in this town, and a lot of military people listen to my podcast. I want everyone to take note that Sarah started her journey with meditation in the Army. How long ago was that?
Sarah: It was 1980/1981. It was only done by a rouge male nurse, who felt the need to take us aside and try the body awareness practice. Meditation was not mandated to be a part of our training.
Alexa: It still isn't mandated, but it is interesting that you initially thought you would become a spy, you ended up learning about body scans. A lot of meditators feel that we can't be a meditator unless I do what Sarah does, go all those places, learn all those things. You taught me through your experiences that I can learn, and I don't have to live in an ashram for years. I am really grateful for that!
Sarah: You are welcome!
Alexa: Thank you for doing all the learning for all of us.
Sarah: I wasn't the mainstream kind of gal, I didn't want just to get married and have kids, get a job, and retire. My motivation in life was, can I find out the mysteries of this existence? What is it that animates all of creation? I know I am a little weird, but that was what was right for me.
I have to fast-forward after working and being in the TM organization for years. I won't go into the whole story, as you can google it. Deepak Chopra and I got kicked out of TM. Getting kicked out of an organization tells me one thing, that is that it is exclusive, not inclusive. How can you get kicked out of a meditation organization?! Well, some ways are to change your guru, changing your job, or changes that some tell you not to, but you do it anyway. I am in good company, so is Deepak Chopra. There is also Ravi Shankar, who does the Art of Living program. Many have been "kicked out" of TM. That was a warning for me, how can TM be a great organization? TM practice is a great practice.
After I left the TM organization, I went to California with Deepak in 1992/1993. We opened up a health center. He came up with his practice, which was also a silent practice that is not TM. Deepak's practice is called Primordial Sound Meditation. I started to learn that there are a variety of practices available and they all work. You can stare at the sky, a fire, etc. to use as your object of meditation.
There are so many types of meditation.
- Zen Buddist Tradition
-
- paying attention to your breath
- counting your breath
- asking yourself questions that stopped the mind
- walking meditation
- imagination meditation
Scientists are researching meditation. I have been a research subject in a few studies. Scientists have a hard time differentiating the different types of meditation. Here are a few ways that I categorize mediation:
- Focus awareness/concentration meditation
- Open awareness meditation- Advanced practices
- Guided meditation
- Imagery meditation
When I was in India, I learned more about meditation.
- Guru
- Eat, pray, love
- Chanting
- Devotion
After India, I moved into a Zen Buddist Monastery. I wanted to give up the whole notion of devotion and move into emptiness.
I want to share the basics of meditation. You went into meditation because you wanted to get rid of your anxiety. I went into meditation because I had a very stressful childhood, and I also suffered from panic attacks. I wanted to feel that life mattered, I mattered, and a deep sense of love.
There are three basic ingredients to any type of meditation.
[Sarah discusses in detail the below]
- Your intention
- Attention
- What you are paying attention to:
- something you hear
-
- sound-based meditation
- something you see
-
- visual-based meditation
- something you sense
-
- feeling/emotion
- moving
- stillness
Alexa: My listeners might still be a little unsure of where to start. When you talked about focused awareness and open awareness; I compare it to a camera, am I zooming in or am taking a wide-angled, panorama picture. I want to go back to the three things that you taught me, going back to desire, non-judgemental attitude, and focus. Sarah, I started feeling over-whelmed when I didn't have a focus. When I read your book, Soul-centered: Transform your life in 8 weeks with meditation, before knowing you, you helped me simplify meditation. Thank God, science now says we have a body, a mind, and an energy system, and neuroplasticity does exist. Sarah, I am sure you will agree with me, when science proved that neuroplasticity exists, that's when meditation became popular. Sarah, what are your thoughts?
Sarah: Meditation is not difficult, but you do have to set yourself up to succeed. When I was writing that book, I tried to deconstruct meditation. First off, you have to recognize that many people will say that you have to clear your mind to meditate. The minute I close my eyes, my default neuro network comes in, I start a monologue with myself, and I can't clear my mind. Instead of clearing your mind, you should interrupt the constant activity of the mind by paying attention to a particular object. Yoga is about the union of subject, object.
- Subject: You, your consciousness
- Object: could be:
- Breath
- Body movement
- Behavior
- Saint
- Quality of a Saint
When I was writing that book, it was a ten-week program. Then this study came out about neuroplasticity, neuro meaning nervous system and the brain, and plasticity meaning plastic or flexibility. In 2012, neuroplasticity studies were showing that with meditation, the thickening of the cortex can happen. Meaning you develop new neuro-pathways, new connections that help you to navigate the world more skillfully. Meditation also changes other parts of your brain. Your amygdala, the reactivity center of the brain, lessens its dominance, so you become much more responsive as the executive function of the neocortex start to become more dominant. This all results in the amygdala, "fight or flight" response becomes less apparent. You gain space between stimulus and response. This shows up in meditation as a state, and overtime shows up as traits in the brain.
Meditation is a practice. Find the one you like. I used to be very militant due to my time in the military, and I used to think there is only one way to meditate. So, find a practice you like and get in a routine. The best thing to do is to start meditating as soon as you get up in the morning.
There are many studies on the different practices of meditation and their benefits.
- mindfulness practice - keeps you more engaged
- Loving-kindness, gratitude practices - cultivate emotions
- transcending mental activity - direct experience of YOU
Alexa: If I decided that all this information makes sense and I want to start meditation when I get up tomorrow morning, what should I do?
Sarah:
Gather yourself, welcoming everything, and resisting nothing.
Start with 1-2 minutes of mindfulness.
- Sit down
- Close your eyes
- Set yourself up
-
- Turn your phone off
- Turn music off
- Sit up
- Close your eye or gaze towards your hands/floor
- Pay attention/observe environment and body
-
- Be in the being and not in the doing
Then, Body Scan
Choose a focus
- Start with breath awareness
- Relaxation Response
- Refocus
It's the nature of your mind to think. Your job is to bring your mind back to your focus.
[Meditation Practice]
It does not matter how many times you have to refocus, be kind to yourself, and let go of expectations.
Lastly, be sure to determine how long you are going to meditate.
Alexa: I would like to wrap up by saying, yes, there are many types of meditation, but don't worry about it and don't feel like you have to learn them all. What Sarah and I say, "just get up and start meditating." The best thing about research is that you are your own best individual subject. Pick a practice, stick with it, and enjoy it. I used the definition of meditation that comes straight from Sarah, "meditation is a practice, it's old, it's new, it's modern, it's ancient, it's all of those things, but it is a training."
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